Those that followed my build a long this past winter may be interested to see the house up and in action. I had planned to donate it the Camrose Martin Festival for a raffle. Then Covid struck. We found a nice acreage to rent a 20 min walk from the world famous trout stream, Bow River. I new of someone that had a SY male show up nearby for about a month last year with no success in finding a mate.
So I saw a decent flight path out behind the garage and cut down the exsisting sparrow condo so I could use the pole.
We have been very busy getting things organized and cleaned up in the last month since we moved in. The house sat empty for almost a year.
Yesterday a SY male showed up for a brief investigation. Today he was back 3 times that I saw and once w a possible mate.
We sold our place up north 2 yes ago where we had two houses and 9 pair our last year.
Excited to start a new colony! To my knowledge of successful it could be the most south location in Alberta.
New House visitor!
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Gun
- Posts: 80
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2016 11:26 pm
- Location: Foothills, AB
- Martin Colony History: 2016 - 1 pair - 4 fledged
2017 - 4 pair - 16 fledged
2018 - 7 pair - 24 fledged
Moved and starting over in 2019
- 4DE64E97-811C-4ACC-9BFD-F62ABDFD46A8.jpeg (58.09 KiB) Viewed 1491 times
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Gun
- Posts: 80
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2016 11:26 pm
- Location: Foothills, AB
- Martin Colony History: 2016 - 1 pair - 4 fledged
2017 - 4 pair - 16 fledged
2018 - 7 pair - 24 fledged
Moved and starting over in 2019
Update:
Late
This morning he showed up w a mate. An added bonus was that I caught the female sparrow in a trap that was giving the male grief all week. She’s been disposed of an the male hasn’t been seen.
So about 9:30 this morning the Martin shows up w his new gal. They’ve been in and out all day. I moved the sparrow box over a bit to another hole and removed some nesting material and flattened down the rest. When they came back about an hour later they quickly found the sparrow nest in a different cavity and the female Martin spent considerable time in there rearranging furniture.
They were cursing around together the rest of the afternoon and eve. A storm blew in an hour or so before dark but they were still out enjoying the breeze and bugs.
At this late date I’m hoping for eggs soon. It’s a start!
Late
This morning he showed up w a mate. An added bonus was that I caught the female sparrow in a trap that was giving the male grief all week. She’s been disposed of an the male hasn’t been seen.
So about 9:30 this morning the Martin shows up w his new gal. They’ve been in and out all day. I moved the sparrow box over a bit to another hole and removed some nesting material and flattened down the rest. When they came back about an hour later they quickly found the sparrow nest in a different cavity and the female Martin spent considerable time in there rearranging furniture.
They were cursing around together the rest of the afternoon and eve. A storm blew in an hour or so before dark but they were still out enjoying the breeze and bugs.
At this late date I’m hoping for eggs soon. It’s a start!